Old Schoolhouse Committee
Welcome to the Old School House Rehab Project
Dear Friends,
The townspeople of Surry, Maine, on April 16,2016 gave overwhelming support by voting to give the "Old Village Schoolhouse Preservation Group" authority to rehabilitate the Village School.
Our Group's agenda is to raise funds, not from taxation, to rehabilitate the 1872 schoolhouse and to purchase the surrounding property which originally went with the school. Our plan is to incorporate the two properties to create a historic schoolhouse and park/playground area for the citizens of Surry and surrounding areas to enjoy.
This project will not only preserve a historic building, it will create a beautiful setting in Surry Village at the corners of Rt 172 and Rt 176 and Newbury Neck Rd.
In 2015 Maine Preservation included the Surry Village School on their yearly list of the ten (10) most endangered historic sites in the State. We are actively working toward nomination and acceptance of this schoolhouse to the Nation Register of Historic Places. This is a unique building, a two (2) room, two (2) story school that housed grades 1-4 on the bottom floor and 5-8 on the second floor. It is perhaps the only one of its kind left in the State. This building, owned by the Town of Surry, has been in continuous use by the Town for almost 144 hears.
Much of the work will be done by volunteers. However, funds will be needed to purchase the surrounding property, and on the school, install a new ground floor, new exterior doors, electrical work, paint, etc. The building also must be made handicapped accessible and comply with life safety codes. A rough estimate of cash outlay for these items is estimated to be Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000)
Our immediate need is One Hundred Thirty Five Thousand Dollars ($135,000) to purchase the surrounding property as soon as possible. It has a modern septic system and drilled well that can be utilized in the schoolhouse rehabilitation.
We have an anonymous donor that has pledged to match the first twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) we raise. Monetary donations of any sizes are most welcome. We will also be working to raise grant funds. We are eager to get started!
We have enclosed several informational exhibits and photos to better enlighten you on our project.
Old Surry Village Schoolhouse Preservation Group-
Gete Thomson 479-4699
Gary Mosley 479-6442